Handle control



July-3, 1928. 1,676,058

D. G. SMELLlE HANDLE CONTROL Filed Aug. 29, 1924 lnven'for Donald G. Smellie.

WWW

AHorney Patented July 3, 1 28.

; UNITED STATES'PATENT OFFICE.

DONALD G. SMELLIE, 01E MAYWO HANDLE OD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE HOOVER COMPANY, OF NORTH CANTON, OHIO,

A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CON TROL.

Application filed August 29,-1924. Serial No. 734,830.

In connection with the use of self-contained portable suction sweepers and other machines of this general type, it has been found very convenient and substantially necessary to provide a handle control means whereby travel of the handle may be controlled and limited.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved type of handle control wherein there is provision for movement of the handle through either a limited .or its full arc of travel and wherein there is provision for securing the handle in storage position and further to provide a construction simple and cheap to manufacture, easy to operate, positive in action and rugged in construction. Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from inspection of the drawings considered together with the description thereof in the specification and more especially pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings like numerals indicate like parts throughout.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a suction sweeper disclosing anapplicatmn of my in- I vention.

I 5 of Fig. 2. as I 2 is an enlarged view of the handle control mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a partial rear elevation of Flg. 1. Fig.4 is a'figure corresponding to Fig. 2

but showing the ,parts in a different position. Fig. 5 is a detail of Fig. 2 taken on line My invention is shown as applied to a suction sweeper indicated generally as 10. which is mounted on carrier wheels 11 and castor wheels 12. A handle of course should be provided and secured in the socket .13 of bail-14;; the bail being pivoted on pin 15.

The handle control consists of substantially two assemblies, one of which, indicated as 16, is mounted onjzhe handle bail; the other, indicated as 17, being mounted on the rear of the nozzle casting 18.- Assembly 16 comprises a substantially "hook shaped member 19 mounted on the pivot 15, the upper end thereof being secured to the bail 14. by a bolt 20 or other securing means. The hooked end 21 of member 19 projects below thepivot 15, the lower edges thereof providing a cam face having limiting stops in the form of a notch as indicated at 22. This notch 22 provides means for limiting the handle movement on the pivot 15.

' spring 29, willp that the entire hook portion thereof may yield and be forced away from member 19. Assemblage 17 comprises a supporting plate-'24 secured to the rear of the nozzle casting 18 by 'fastenin means such as the bolts 25, the plate 24 eing in the form of,

a right angle piece having ears bent up at its 7 extremity as at 26. Mounted in connection with the cars 26 is a pin27 which carries foot operated release lever 28 which through the mstrumentality of spring 29 always tends to maintain its uppermost limit of travel. On foot lever 28 there is an. up turned latch portion 30 which selectively. co-

operates with the cam faces of members 19 and 23 as described below. t

On the top of nozzle casting 18 there is provided a pad which coacts with' the handle bail to limitthereof. v

With the handle control as described there are three handle positions:

1. Storage position.

2. Limited arcuate range.

3. Full arcuate range. For storage position the handle is moved to 1ts foremost limit of travel or untilv the ball 14 contacts with the pad 40 inwhich posltlon the latch-30, as urged upward by osition in front of the end of h0ok 21, and the handle will be held rigidly in this upright position.

When it is desired to with the handle travel range, it is only necessary to depress the .foot lever 28, which will disengage the latch 30 from in front of the hook end 21, then rearward movement, of the handle will be possible and causethe latch 30 to ride upon the cam face of member 19 and finally fall into the notch 22, while the spring member 23 will yield laterally and ride along the side of the latch 30. Now, the handle movement with respect to the sweeper 10 is limited by the notch 22; for instance, it is free to swing until the latch 30 engaged either end of the notchv 22, and further movement of forward movement operate the sweeper 3 limited in arcuateg ioo the handle up or down will raise either the front or rear end of the sweeper;

I the sweeper back and forward over the floor without tilting it.

Should full free movement of the handle be desired, it is only necessary to slightly depress foot piece 28 which will draw down latch 30 below theface of the spring member 23 and allow this member to snap back against the member 19, the latch 30 will then ride on. uninterrupted face of the spring member 23 and prevent engagement thereof v with the notch 22, and full uninterrupted movement ofthe handle is possible. 'Should it be desired to again limit the movement of the handle, it is only necessary to raise handle until it approaches the storage position, or until the latch 30 clears the outer end of spring piece 23,: and then uponlowering the handle the latch 30 will again ride on the cam face of member 19 and again engage the slot 22 while the spring member 23 will yield laterally and ride along the side thereof.

It will be seen from the above-description that I have provided asimple handle control mechanism, and one which is positive and easy to operate.

What I claim is a 1. In a handle control means, a member having a handle pivotally connected thereto, cam elements lying side by side and se cured to said handle, and a latch mounted on said member and arranged to selectively cooperate with either .of said cam elements. 2. In a structure having a pivoted handle, a controlling device for the handle comprising a cam member composed of'a rigid part and a flexible part lying side by side, one

edge of one part defining an uninterrupted cam face, an edge of the other part defining a cam face having limiting stops, and a latch member co-operatingselectively with the cam faces, one of the members being mounted on the pivoted handle, the other meniber being mounted on a separate portion of the structure.

3. In combination with a tool and a pivoted" handle therefor, a cam member mounted to said handle and comprisng two parts lying side by side, one being rigid and havin stops formed thereon, the other being resilient with the front tip thereof being slightly bent away-from said rigid part, and forming an uninterrupted cam face, a sprin pressed latch member mounted to said too said latch beingarranged to selectively engage the front end of'said cam member and retain said handle in storage position, or ride said cam member between said stops to limit the handle movement, or ride said uninterrupted cam face of said cam member and thereby avoid said stops 4. In combination with a tool and a propelling handle pivoted thereto, a handle controlling device comprising a cam member secured to the handle and provided with spaced stop portions on its cam surface, a latch member mounted-on the tool and cooperating with the cam member and the stop port1ons thereof, and a resilient member-securedto said-cam member and adapted to selectively prevent co-operation of the latch and cam.

5. In a handle control means, a member having a handle pivotally connected thereto, cam elements lying side by side and secured to said handle, one of said cam elements having an uninterrupted cam face, and another provided with stops to limit the handle movement, and a latch mounted on said member and arranged to selectively engage either of said cam elements. I

Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 27th day of August, A. D., 1924.

DONALD-VG. sMELLrE. 

